allen



3. Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

.S. L, ALLEN.

POTATO DIGGER.

IVVE/VTOR i M By a Aftorney (4 (No Model.)

3 SheetsSheet 2.

S. L. ALLEN.

POTATO BIGGER.

Patented Aug. 7, 1888.

T g- E W/TNESSES N. PETERS, Fhalc-Uihugnphur, wa-hm mn, 92G

(fro Model.) 7 3 SheetsSheet 3. S. L. ALLEN.

POIATO BIGGER. No. 387,331. Patented Aug. '7, 1888.

WITNESSES. g EN-TORI M d6 By 259-, At torney an??? SAMUEL ALLEN, OF OINNAMINSON, NElV JERSEY.

POTATO DlGGER.

$P'ECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,331, dated August 7, 1888.

(No model.)

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oinnaminson, Burlington county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers,of which the following is a true and complete specification.

My invention relates to implements especially adapted for digging sweet potatoes; and it consists of the devices and combinations hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side eleva- 'tion of my improvedsweet-potato digger. Fig.

2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the revolving disk-knives for cutting vines, showing also the sand-shields and removable axle. Fig. 4. is an elevation of the same, showing the attachment to thegangframe. Figs. 5 and 6 show the method of attaching the gang-frame to the beam of the diggerand adjusting the depth of cut of the revolving dlSl -kl]lV8S. Fig. 7 is a view of the plow'share, mold-board, and part of the frame, showing the long bolt and washers to adjust the moldboard in height and so regulate the throw. Fig. 8 is a view of the adjustable and removable axle on which the disk-knives revolve. Fig. 9 is a front elevation showing a modified form of the gangframe. Fig. 10 is a perspective view ofthe same, showing the slot, bolt-holes, and notches for adjusting, the re volving cutters in height.

A is the beam, and B the cast-iron frame, of the digger.

D is the plowshare secured to the frame, and O O the handles of the digger.

E is the 1nold-board,which is provided with a supplementary skeleton mold-board consisting of the rods H H H H. The mold-board E, Fig. 7, is provided at its lower edge with the lugs 6 and e, which fit into corresponding recesses in the plowstandard, and are held in place by theplowshare D. At its upper part it has a bolt, e, the head of which is countersunk into the mold-board. The boltE passes through a hole in the frame of the digger, and is provided at its other end with a nut, E, and a number of metal washers, 6. One or more of these washers may be placed between the frame and the back of the mold-board E, as shown at E, Fig. 7, and so tilt the moldboard more or less away from the frame B,

thus regulating-the amount of throw of the soil overturned by the implement.

To the back edge of the mold-board E are screwed or otherwise suitably secured the bars H H H H, which extend backward and outward, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 7. bars constitute a supplementary skeleton mold-board, and receive the mold and potatoes turned up by the mold-board E and sufficiently separate the potatoes from the earth in the furrow-slice. To the beam of the plow, at or near its middle point, is bolted the plate M, which is provided with a bolt, m, and nut m, the parallel guide-bars m and m", and the lug m', as shown in Fig. 5.

G G, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, are revolving diskknives, and consist of plates of steel struck up into the desired shape in a drop press. Their form is best seen in the sectional view, Fig. 3, in which 99 is a sort of groove or circular strengtheningwave, which is formed in the.

metal in the operation of striking them up.

Each of these disk knives is riveted to its hub P by' the rivets p, which pass through a hole in the flange on the hub, thence through the disk-knifeitselfiand then through a flanged piece, 1), as shown.

Within the hub P is the axle N, which is screwed to the gang-frame K by a bolt, B, Fig. 4., which passes through the axles, and thence through a corresponding hole in the gang frame K, and is secured by the nut r. The axle N is provided with the lugs n a, Fig. 8, which engage with corresponding notches in the gang'frame, Fig. 4, and so prevent the axle N from turning with the hub l? on the bolt R. The hub P is provided with the sandshields p and p, which extend out over the head of the bolt R and the washer p on the outer side of the hub, and which extend over the shoulder a on the axle N on the inner side of the hub, and serve to keep the sand and dirt out of the bearings.

It will be noted that the axle N is removable and may be replaced when worn out, it being only necessary to unscrew the nut r and remove the bolt B, when the axle may be easily detached.

The gang-frame K has an arm, F, Fig. 6, which is provided with alongitndinal slot, f, and a series of teeth, f f f, adapted to pass be tween the guide-bars m and m of the plateM These and engage with the lug m the boltm passing through the slot f in said arm. The distance of the centers of the revolving disks belowthe beam A may be easily adjusted (see Fig. 1) by loosening the nut m and shifting the arm F up or down, as may be desired, and'retightening the nut, when the lug at will engage with two of the teethff and prevent any further movement. The disk-knives G G, revolving, serve to cut the vines in advance of the plow, and may be accurately adjusted in height and depth to cut all the vines clean.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I show a modified form of gang-frame, whereby the revolving cutters may be adjusted in height independently of each other. I provide the arms which carry the cutters with a longitudinal slot, as shown at n Fig. 10, or with aseries of bolt-holes, as shown at n u By means of these and the notches engaging with the lugs n on the axles N, either of the revolving cutters may be easily raised or lowered independently of the other, and quickly.

When the digger is in operation, it runs close to one side and under the potato-hills, the potatoes being received on the skeleton mold-board, which sifts them sufficiently from the surrounding earth. The separate hills of potatoes are left lying on their sides, the potatoes showing on one side of the furrow and the tops of the hills on the other side.

hen properly adjusted, this implement runs almost without guidance. If it has a tendency to run to the left, it is only necessary to screw in the set screw behind the gang standard and tighten up the main bolt which attaches the gang of the wheels to the beam. If it runs to the right, loosen the bolt and screw out the set-screw and then tighten the main bolt. To change the Width between the revolving cutters, it is only necessary to take out the bolts which hold the cutters to the gang-frame and place them with the short ends of the hubs next the frame if the narrow width is wanted, with the long ends ifa wide width is desired, or one long and one short if a medium width is preferred.

What I claim is- 1. In combination with a revolving wheel or disk, a gang frame or axle having attached to its end the bolt R, and a removable and stationary axle, N, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a gang-frame, the bolt R, axle N, provided with lugs, and the hub P, provided with sand-shields p 10, substantially as described.

3. An adjustable mold-board provided at its lower edge with lugs and at its upper edge with an adjusting-bolt, substantially as described.

4. An adjustable mold-board consisting of the piece E, having at its lower edge pivots and at its upper edge an adjusting device, and provided with a supplementary skeleton, substantially as described.

5. The gangframe arm F, having a longi-' tudinal slot, f, and a series of teeth, ff, in combination with the bolt m and plate M, provided with the guide-bars m in and lug m all arranged substantially as described.

6. The gang-frame K, having an arm provided with a longitudinal slot, at", or a series of holes, n, and lug-notches, in combination with the axle N and bolt R, all arranged substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SAML. L. ALLEN. 

